The present invention relates to a portable apparatus for dispensing powder or other particulate matter in an air or gaseous stream. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable garden powder duster for applying dusting agent to garden plants.
Various types of apparatus for applying powder or other materials are known in the prior art as illustrated by the following patents:
Canadian patent 505717 to Griffin relates to a powder blower for use by barbers having as its principal object the blowing of air and powder to remove loose hair from the neck and face and to dry the skin. The reference powder blower comprises an electric air blower, an air flow receiving tube containing an air scoop having a tubular extension which extends from the air-flow receiving tube into the bottom portion of a dusting agent receptacle or container, a dusting agent container having a lid containing an input hole and an output hole, an L-shaped powder outlet nozzle which extends from the upper portion of the dusting agent container into the air-flow receiving tube and an on and off switch positioned on the L-shaped powder outlet nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,377 to Bouchard relates to an apparatus for dispensing particulate matter which comprises an amorphous bag or pouch containing powder, a gas inlet at one end of the pouch adapted to receive a pressurized gaseous stream from an air blower and a gas outlet at the opposite end of the pouch which directs the gas stream out of the pouch, preferable to an elongated delivery tube. By squeezing and manipulating the pouch and powder therein, the amount of powder entrained in the gas stream within the pouch can be controlled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,241 to Mesic relates to a fluid-solid mixing and dispensing apparatus primarily intended for use in the application of pesticide dust. The apparatus comprises a blower and a removable, disposable pesticide dust cartridge attachable in fluid communication relation to at least a portion of the blower's fluid flow stream. A volume control is provided so as to regulate the quantity of fluid flowing through the cartridge, thereby regulating the quantity of pesticide dust actually dispensed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,870,565 to Martin relates to a dust-disseminating device which is attached to a hopper having an open top and containing a quantity of dusting material. The dust-disseminating device includes a cover arranged to bridge the open top of the hopper and adapted to be detachably secured thereto to provide an enclosed chamber wherein the dusting material may be gradually fed into and entrained by an air stream by an activating means for dissemination. Advantageously a blower may be associated with the hopper to introduce the air stream though the cover into the chamber provided by the hopper. The air stream produced by the blower is projected downwardly and forwardly in the chamber by a baffle which is constructed to direct the air stream to make multiple passes through the chamber whereby the dusting material is effectively entrained in the air stream. The chamber and baffle are shaped and dimensioned to cause the air stream with entrained dusting particles to change direction sharply during passage through the chamber whereby larger dust particles tend to automatically segregate from the more finely divided and entrained particles.
However, while a number of such powder dusters are described in the prior art, such powder dusting devices have not proven to be economically or commercially attractive for several reasons including their complexity, lack of portability, high cost, tendency to clogging or other problems. Accordingly, there continues to be a need for a portable garden powder duster which is simple in construction, low in cost and capable of more continuous operation without clogging.